First time blogger sharing the trials and tribulations of being a stay at home father. Some humour will be tried, often badly. Enjoy. Follow. Comment. Fall in love with my children and offer to take them for a weekend so I can get a break. (kidding, ......... or am I???) You have been warned. The sarcasm flows freely here.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Adapting is a key to survival. We all need to adapt to changing situations and if we don't we get run over by those who do. Sometimes adapting is easy, say like moving a play date inside because of rain. Other times adapting can be hard, like starting a new job with better chance for advancement but less pay up front. Or even worse, finding a way to live with a major disability or without a limb. (Mad props to those in the latter category. I don't know how y'all do it. You are the real superheroes!) Some people are better equipped at adapting than others. Some do it creatively. Others do it rationally. Others just wait until it is done for them. But I believe we all are good at adapting. Lets face it, if we weren't we wouldn't be here.

That being said here is a good story about adapting:

This past week we embarked on a small family vacation. My wife had a work conference and the rest of the family tagged along, because why the hell not. Her job has a yearly, regional conference at the Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire. There are times when there is a national conference in other, more exotic locales (Chicago, Montreal, etc.). But we can bet we are at least going to New Hampshire once a year. And the place where we go is a giant facility. If you were to build this place today it would cost you a billion dollars, maybe ten times that. It is an old hotel at the base of the famed Mount Washington and they spared no expense building it in 1902. Pools, golf courses, tennis courts, horse back riding, hiking, fresh air, you name it, they have it all and then some. Check it out if you have some free time (and some free funds). And to say this place is fancy would be an understatement. Up until this year, jackets were required in the main dining area. And I don't mean parkas (It is the mountains of New Hampshire). I'm talking sport coats, suit jackets, blazers. Fancy threads! (It is also the reason I go to the tailor every few years, just to have my jacket taken in, let out and taken in again)

The main drawback to this trip is the four and a half hour ride to get there. But nothing good comes easy. Our trip started rather effortlessly. We left when everyone was up; no early wake up calls or middle of the night departures. We were on the road for about 45 minutes before the first "I don't feel so good," was said. Thanks a lot Bonine! What a great start! So we pull into a fast food establishment for some soda (good for keeping car sickness at bay) and a light munchy. And to feed the baby, because lets face it; we stopped. Mind as well take advantage. Back into the car, all filled up and feeling better. Then filler-up stop for the car down the street, and back on our way. An hour later another potty request.

"Didn't you go when you sister went?"

"No."

"Did you try?"

"No."

Ugh!

Another stop only this time we are at a gas station. That means candy and snacks! (great for kids, not so much for adults) So after three stops in under two hours we are back at it. (The baby was sleeping at this stop and we all know the number one rule with babies: DON'T WAKE A SLEEPING BABY!) About an hour later some fussing from the carseat and the wife and I realize it is time to feed said child. But we are both determined not to stop unnecessarily. That is when my wife had the most brilliant idea I have ever heard her say.

"I'll just feed her in her seat."

Great! No stoping. I had packed a few bottles so it seemed easy enough. But they would be cold from the cooler and there are times when the baby is very particular on the temperature of her beverage. When I noticed my wife had not grabbed a bottle I looked in the rear view mirror and saw this:

Adapting at it's finest

She was breastfeeding in while still in the car seat. Driving down the interstate at 70+ miles per hour. Boob in baby's mouth. Not skipping a beat. To say she is dedicated to this feeding from the boob thing is an understatement. (I mean, it is the best for baby) And the little one was never the wiser. She just sat there and gobbled it up like nothing was different. What a trooper!

I know this probably was not the safest thing for my wife to do. But she has faith in my driving abilities and I wasn't about to stop. We have done that enough already.

So needless to say, we made it to our destination without any more unnecessary stopping. And thank God we did because I really had to pee.

And here is a couple gratuitous shots of the view. Soak in the relaxation.